Louis Delmas didn't say much to the media after suffering a knee injury in the Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers, but the usually gregarious safety opened up on Saturday.

Delmas, who had surgery in December, missed the remainder of the regular season, finally appearing in Detroit's playoff game against New Orleans.

He's training in Miami with Stephen Tulloch, who will be an unrestricted free agent on March 13. Delmas said it's "very important" for the Lions to re-sign the linebacker in order to maintain the continuity of the defense.

Even the secondary, which struggled mightily in the second half of the season – particularly in the final two games – should be back, he said. Of the top defensive backs, only cornerback Eric Wright is a free agent.

"Everybody's going to have their own opinion," he told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, "but as far as coming from a leader of the secondary, I think we did all right. If we do make changes, I hope it's for the better, because who we have right now are who I'm comfortable with, and I hope to be playing with them next year."